I wrote in my journal earlier today: "I smell like dead shrimp and sun lotion, and have dirt plastered to sweat all over my body. It was so worth it."
Although my scooter and I got off to a rocky (and honky) start, we bonded today. Once I figured out how to stop (it's counter-intuitive), Jamie and I rode for about 4 hours/35 miles. And we really only stopped once - to hike sand dunes with these 5 little boys that swarmed us with boogie board shaped pieces of plastic. They knew about 4 words and would say them in any order: hello, slide, money and handsome (to flatter the previous word out of us). Oh, and they knew Michael Jackson, randomly. We took some fun pictures with them on the vast orange dunes and then hopped back on the motor bikes. The only other times we stopped:
- to give a poor Vietnamese guy a ride to his house
- to buy gas and water
- to lather up on the sun lotion (missed some spots, I realized)
- to take some photos, though it was more like driveby photography
Some of the people we saw, living way out in plots of desert, have probably only seen a dozen white people in their lives (Michael Jackson obviously one of them, if he counts). Children came running out of their homes with a "hellooooo;" Others waved enthusiastically or chuckled at our attempts at a Vietnamese greeting (mine more than Jamie's).
While we were cruising down the highway, it was disturbing to think that only 35 years ago these people were targets, not friends. Instead of bathing suits and sunglasses, Americans were dressed in camouflage and night goggles. A gun in hand, not a camera.
So you may be wondering why I smelled like dead shrimp (I don't usually, I hope). In this coastal area of Vietnam, fishermen catch millions of shrimp every night and then lay them all out to dry in the sun. On the side of the highway, on tarps in the sand, oops - some fell into the gutter...just patches and patches and baskets and baskets of little dried shrimp. Yummy!
It's almost 11:30 pm here, so I think I'm finally acclimating (it's been bedtime at 9 previous nights). Or maybe it was the massage I just got where the lady stomped on me like bubble wrap. One of the two.
This entry was posted
on Monday, August 22nd, 2005 at 9:22 am in II. Vietnam.
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since you’re a biker boy…do you make your own rules???
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:50 amCharlie, what an amazing adventure you’re on! It’s great to follow you around the world, particularly in Vietnam, home of Melissa’s birth mother. Sounds like a wild and crazy (and smelly) place. Hang on to that scooter! Thanks for letting us share your travels — and yep, you’re a very good writer, of course! All the best — The Bitters.
August 22nd, 2005 at 11:02 amAt least you’ve now confirmed that Michael Jackson touches little boys lives (and probably little boys themselves) everywhere around the world.
August 22nd, 2005 at 12:37 pmjust wait until they go through that boy band phase. yo its so good to follow your travels and keep a connection running throughout the year. just dont take any unknown purple pills. not like youve ever done that before…
August 22nd, 2005 at 12:44 pmyou are keeping up so well with these posts…i hope youo keep it up all year..itll give me something to read while im pouring over my books once school starts…keep the stories coming and hopefully you’ll put soem picture up on the site soon i cant wait to see everything!!
August 22nd, 2005 at 12:49 pm“VietSPAM” by Mary Lee
Although you’re far away, my bro,
There is something that you should know,
In Vietnam there is a treat,
On the Pig-nic grounds at your feet,
It is no other than canned meat!
Smells like dead shrimp and sun lotion,
Should nay deter you from this potion,
To buy it you need only dong,
And then to hum all day long,
Aqua’s hit “The Barbie Girl” song!
So scooter over to the store,
Or one of the huts by the shore,
If Jamie would rather eat crow
Than chow on this heavenly dough,
Tell him that is just isn’t so,
And then shout to him, “Chao ba co!”
You may be wondering why I shared
This tasty snack, and why I care,
Well, dear bro, Spam is Maps backwards,
Northwards, southwards, and westwards,
So if you ever lose your way,
The clouds above are dark and grey,
Dont fret, take heed, we will all say…
Loud as we can and giddily
August 22nd, 2005 at 1:26 pmThat we are your proud spamily!
Not trying to make you feel bad here…BUT I SAW CHRIS MARTIN THIS MORNING!!!!!!! (for those of you who dont know who chris martin is and are thus just simply deprived of good music, chris martin is the lead singer of coldplay) He sat down across from me at the doctors office. Oh ya and Gwyneth and Apple were present but I honestly didnt care. Once I finally began to breathe again I was able to tell him I saw his concert two nights ago and it was the best concert I had ever been to. He smiled, oh so beautifully, and said “thank you, i love hearing that” and then he walked out of the doctors office and out my life. But its okay because I TALKED TO CHRIS MARTIN THIS MORNING!!!!!
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:25 pmokay, now that ive made you jealous (you know you are) i just wanted to say hello. Sounds like Phuoc, bang me (aka bread), your scooter (which you should name) and dead shrimp are treating you well. And no, Michael Jackson does not count.
-Em
P.S. Hopefully you read this before you get to mary leah’s because hers is just off the charts amazing
hey charlie,
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:53 pmsounds like you’re having one hell of an adventure! how’s the food? and, uh, when do you get clean boxers again? ha ha
keep up the great logs!
love, sar
I am living vicarously through you!
August 22nd, 2005 at 8:46 pmTwo generations of torn Achilles tendons is enough. Your intrepid grandfather tore his left foot Achilles while playing tennis at North Star about twenty years ago. Now your brilliant Dad tore his left foot Achilles while playing tennis at Riviera. For the sake of your future physical wellbeing the solution is clear and simple: Hereafter, do not play tennis at any time, at any place in the world, under any circumstances. Drive those scooters through all the shrimp in Vietnam, if that turns you on, with or without sun block or shorts, but, please, for the sake of family health, stay clear of tennis courts.
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:53 pmWith tender feelings for tender tendons and much love,
Papa
Mary Lee -
“VietSPAM Vet” by Charlie
(inspired by Mary Lee’s original “VietSPAM”)
Try this VietSPAM you say?
I’ve tried it every kind of way!
I’ve tried it on a motor bike,
I’ve tried it on a sand dune hike.
I’ve tried the kind with bits of dog,
I tried some while I wrote this log.
I’ve tried the kind with bits of duck,
I tried some with a guy named Phuoc.
I’ve tried a little, tried a lot,
Tried it cold and tried it hot,
In a bowl and on a plate,
Very early, very late.
I’ve tried it with some girls quite pretty,
In Mui Ne and Ho Chi Minh City.
I’ve tried it many times, you see,
And now can say confidently:
There are no ways to try it new
Unless you came to have some too
Papa - Got it. No tennis. Ever. Scooters and shrimp instead.
Cuz Sar - When do I get clean boxers again? The question is: when do I get any boxers again? Answer: Bangkok in 10 days. As for the food - it’s hard to describe Vietnamese cuisine (even my friend Jamie, who lived here for 2 years, can’t pin it down). There are many other types of food that are just as prominent though; it’s all been good!
Em - Chris Martin, piss fartin. I want my cd back.
Zack - The time has come…the boy bands have hit. What next, I ask you??
Connie - Pics will be up when I get to Bangkok the 4th!!
August 23rd, 2005 at 8:23 am